Gaming is a big problem, according to the Korean government. Students are never on computers in our school alone and do not use on-line games at school. The PC Bangs they speak of are outside the school and outside our jurisdiction. PBS did a documentary on the subject that you can watch below.

Cyber bullying on social media is a very interesting subject because of the unique problems schools have in dealing with it since it's online and usually outside of school's traditional jurisdiction. It's also so easy to spread information that it can escalate so much quicker than before social media causing more drastic reactions by the victim, in some cases, suicide. It's tragic, but there isn't an easy solution. I haven't witnessed, or even heard of, cyber bullying at our school, but I believe this is a cultural and legal difference being showcased. The Korean government, as I have pointed out before, has it's hands involved in this problem, not just for children, but for adults as well. There is a law making defamation a crime. The controversial law claims "defamation is considered a criminal offense under the Criminal Code and an "unlawful act" under the Civil Code." (Youm, 1992, p 1) this creates a unique situation because even adults that make hurtful claims (even if they are true) about others can be sued or even prosecuted. In order to uphold the law, there is a lot of government monitoring of media and the Internet and children are no exception. Because of the relatively strict legal precedent it makes cyber bullying not just into an unacceptable category, but an illegal one. This makes my addressing of the issue redundant and allows for my classroom to run smoothly without worry. My students all have an ID to log into the network that can be tracked. Even though I disagree with this privacy intrusion on a moral level, it does make it easier to let my students on the Internet without worry. It also frees my hands from having to worry about off-campus cyber bullying, since it remains a law enforcement issue, not a school issue. However, the controversial part of the law is the obvious 'Big Brother' and freedom of speech breaches. For more information on the controversy click the button below.

In my class, I use a handout that can be taken home to go over the expectations and good practices of my class’s use of technology. In Korea, the government, because of the Juvenile Protection Act (MOGEF, 2014), are able to monitor cyber bullying and block pornography from children. At our school, each child must have an ID and password to log on to the internet and that code is matched with what sites they can use or not use. This allows the teachers to not worry too much, though we are still there for monitoring purposes. Since these rules are in place, I will focus my short lesson on netiquette and general rules of thumb the children should know whenever they are on-line, no matter where they might be. The handout explains more - click below.

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see." (Martin Luther King jr.)

Woman on the Bus

A woman looks at her phone on a bus in downtown Seoul, 2015

Seoul Protest 2015

People from around 120 unions and groups organized the protests on Saturday, December 5th, that saw thousands marching through downtown Seoul. Many people carried signs that said roughly "listen to the people" as they feel the current government is not working for the people but for the Chaebol (large corporations).

Mask Dance

Thousands took to the streets to protest several government plans in Seoul on Saturday, December 5th. They were told not to wear masks because of the "threat of ISIS". The protesters responded by wearing thousands of masks, some dancing traditional samulnori along the way.

Shoulder View

Getting a better view of the traditional Korean dancing at the Bupyeong Festival, this girl sits on dad's shoulders.

Angled Emotion

A man picks up recycling in the city while a little girl pouts in the doorway behind him.

Framing the Street

Tucked into an alley in northern Seoul, graffiti hides as people walk past.

The Clown

A performer prepares to entertain children on Children's Day at Children's Grand Park in Seoul.

Yellow Dust Love

A couple gets intimate during yellow dust season in Myeongdong. "Yellow Dust" is the polluted air that drifts from the Gobi Desert, picking up coal pollution over the cities of China, to Korea.

Rock Reflection

Cape Disappointment, Washington

Launch Pad to the Universe

The Milky Way jetting up from the peaks at Colonial in the North Cascades, Washington

Watercolor Sky

The colors of sunset above Eastern Jeju Island, South Korea

The Race

Two shooting stars race across the night sky at Liberty Bell Peak, Washington

Mt. St. Helens

From Johnston Ridge

The Girl with the Mask

"Park Geun Hye resign" is written across her mask. She speaks loudly without noise in the crowd f nearly a million protesting the president of South Korea on 11/12

Monk in the Front

A million people took to the streets on 11/12 to protest the president in one of the largest protests in Korean history. Many religious leaders joined together to hold signs that read "Park Geun Hye resign"

Man with Candle

One of a million protesting the president of South Korea on 11/12, holding a candle for the vigil and marching to show his support of the president stepping down.

Helping Hands

These girls help this man light his candle as night falls over approximately a million people in the streets of downtown Seoul on 11/12.

Anti-Government DJ Spinning

A DJ spins music for the crowd of protesters on 11/12 as they march against the president of Korea.

A Family Marches

A family marches with candles during the protest on 11/12 that saw a million people spill into the streets of downtown Seoul.

Flying

Flying on the shoulders of her father, this girl had a VIP view of the million person protest against the president on 11/12

Spectacle

Overlooking the crowd in the square, a man surveys the scene. Lights, musicians, food stalls, and a million people peacefully protesting the president and chanting in waves, "Park Geun Hye resign".

Tiring Protest

A little girl yawns on her father's shoulders late into the night as they continue to march against the president.